Game apparatus



(No Model.)

H. GOOS.

GAME APPARATUS.

No. 566,307. Patented Aug. 25, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIcE.

HENRY eoos, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO JOSEPHs. BRUBAKER, OF sAME PLACE.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,307, dated August25, 1896.

Application filed November 12, 1895. Serial No. 568,707. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY Goos, a citizen of the United States, residingat Lancaster,

in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain Improvements in Games, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of games playedupon checkered boards; and the invention consists in a checkered boardof novel design and in the mode of moving the pieces thereon, ashereinafter fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a top view of a checkered board embodying my improvement,showing the pieces as located thereon to begin playing the game; andFig. 2, a similar view, but showing the pieces scattered about theboard, as they might be during the progress of the game.

Similar letters and numerals indicate like parts throughout both views.

Referring to the details of the drawings, A indicates a checkered boardhaving the surface divided into lines having two different coloredsquares, there being nine parallel rows of nine squares each, arrangedsimilarly to the squares of a chess or checker-board. The two kinds ofsquares-those of different colors-are, however, arranged in a novelmanner, and the pieces are placed and operated only on the squares ofthe same co1or-white, for example-as in checkers. These squares will,for the purposes of this specification, be termed play-spaces, and thesquares interposed between the playspaces black spaces.

The center squares D on the outer rows 1 and 9 of the opposite sides ofthe board occupied by the opposing forces at the beginning of a game,and the squares D and D adjacent thereto in the same rows, areplayspaces, and from play-spaces D D outward to the ends of rows 1 and 9the squares are alternately black and play spaces. Excepting in thecenter, the play and black spaces alternate in each of the rows, but thespaces of the one kind in each row range on the sides with spaces of theother kind in the adjacent rows, as illustrated.

In the center of the board is a play-space R, surrounded by a border r,and the four spaces T adjacent to the sides thereof are alsoplay-spaces.

For the beginning of a game the pieces are placed on all the play-spaceson rows 1, 2, and 3 on one side of the board and rows 7, 8, and 9 on theother side of the board. On the center play-space of rows 1 and 9,surrounded by a border d, are placed the chiefs of the opposite sides,(indicated by a cross 6,) and on the other play-spaces of said rows 1and 9 are placed the lieutenants of the chiefs, (marked bya barf.) Onthe play-spaces of rows 2 and 3 and 7 and 8 are placed the common. men mof the opposite sides, as shown. The common menfor the purposes of thisspecification termed men move diagonally forward, as shown by arrows 10,and should any one of them reach the back or outer row of the opposingforce it is crowned by another piece of its own kind and becomes one ofthe lientenants, as in making a king in checkers, and should a chief belost he may be returned to the board by substituting him for any otherpiece of his side that may reach the back or outer row of the enemy. Thechiefs and their lieutenants can move in any direction from oneplay-space to another contiguous thereto, as shown by arrows 11. Each ofthe pieces can be moved but one space at atime, except in taking anotherpiece, which is done by jumping, as in checkers, and the opposingplayers alternately move one piece at a time. Any piece can be taken byany other piece jumping it in a direction in which the jumping piececould have moved. Any one of the men can move forward directly onto andoff of center play-space R and can jump any piece on said space shouldthe opportunity offer, and said men can also move directly forward ontospaces D of the outer rows 1 and 9.

The object of each side is to have its chief on center space R at theend of the game. Should either side take all the pieces of the other andyet not have its chief on the center play-space, the game is a draw, orshould both sides lose their chiefs and one side take all the pieces ofthe other without recovering its chief and working him onto the centerplay-space the game is a draw. Any more valuable piece substituted foranother that has reached the back or outer row of the enemy must workits way from the space on which the substitution is made, as in chess orcheckers.

If desirable, the pieces may have the pictures of the persons on the twosides of any conflict fixed thereon, as, for instance, in a presidentialcampaign the chiefs may represent the opposing candidates, thelieutenants their principal supporters, and the men the partisans oflesser importance.

It will be observed that, when in the positions in which theyare firstplaced, the chiefs cannot jump an enemy in their first move,

and so also when they or any other pieces 00- cupy the center play-spacethey must first move therefrom before they can take an enemy, so thatwhen on the center play-space the chiefs must be defended by otherpieces of their sides, though they can move away from said centerplay-spaces whenever desirable.

I do not confine myself to the manner of marking the squares or piecesherein shown and described, as the play-spaces may be colcreddifferently and the value of the pieces may be otherwise marked; neitherdo I restrict myself to the number of lines of squares herein shown anddescribed.

Having thus described my invention, what 3 5 I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a game, of a checkered board having play-spacesarranged diagonally across the same, three contiguous 4osimilarly-designated spaces in each of the back, or outer, rows ofspaces on opposite sides of the board and an intermediately-locatedplay-space having a play-space on each of the four sides thereof, andpieces adapted to play over said spaces.

2. The combination, in a game, of a checkered board having play-spacesarranged diagonally across the same, three contiguoussimilarly-designated spaces in each of the back, or outer, rows ofspaces on opposite sides of the board and an intermediately-locat-edplay-space having a play-space on each of the four sides thereof, andpieces having different indications thereon, as and for the purposespecified.

HENRY GOOS. Witnesses:

Gno. A. LANE, WM. R. GERHART.

